Breaker for plastic form ties

ABSTRACT

An elongated lever defining an endwise outwardly opening tie rod head receiving recess at one end and having an extension projecting endwise outwardly from one side of that one lever end terminating outwardly in a laterally inwardly directed end portion spaced outwardly of the recess and terminating radially outwardly of the center axis of said recess.

United States Patent Voelsch Filed: 1'

BREAKER FOR PLASTIC FORM TIES Delwin F. Voelsch, Watertown, S.

Dak.

Schull ConstructioflCii.,Watertovvnf S. Dak.

, 1511 .6, I972 Appl. No.: 215,793

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl ..l40/123, 225/103 Int. Cl. ..B2lf 9/00, F16g 11/00 Field ofSearch .....140/123, 149; 225/965, 103,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS McLaughlin 140/149 Reyes..225/96.5

1 51 Mar. 27, 1973 2,777,479 l/l957 Beanum ..140/149 1,363,890 12/1920Longest et a1. ..72/479 3,546,919 12/1970 Fial ..72/458 FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 643,410 6/1962 Canada ..254/131 Primary ExaniinerLowellA. Larson Attorney-Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT BREAKER FOR PLASTICFORM TIES The form tie breaker of the instant invention has beenspecifically designed for use in conjunction with plastic form ties orform ties constructed of other similar materials that may be morereadily broken than form ties constructed of steel.

A fairly recent development in construction practice involves the use ofplastic brackets and ties to hold concrete forms during the pouring andsetting process. After the concrete has set the forms are removed. Inorder to remove the ties workmen had heretofore used a hammer to breakoff the head on the end of the tie that holds the brackets to the form.When the tie has been broken off the tie bracket is removed andthereafter the form can also be removed from the concrete. However, whenbreaking a plastic tie with a hammer a problem often arises wherein thetie does not break off cleanly at the face of the plywood of which theform is constructed, but rather tends to splinter and shatter so thatsome time is involved in removing the tie bracket from the broken end ofthe tie before the plywood forms can be removed. It is accordingly themain object of this invention to provide a tool whereby the head ends ofplastic form ties may be cleanly broken ofi at the face of the plywoodform so as to enable ready removal of the form brackets and subsequentremoval of the plywood forms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool for removingplastic form ties which will be operative to break the head ends ofplastic form ties of conventional design used in conjunction with thespecifically shaped coacting form brackets.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a tie breakerin accordance with the preceding objects that may be quickly engagedwith and actuated to cleanly sever or break off the ends of plastic formties.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a plastic form tie breaker in accordance with the precedingobjects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be ofsimple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that willbe economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free inoperation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upona plane passing through a concrete form whose opposite sides are heldtogether by means of plastic form ties and associated form brackets andwith the tie breaker of the instant invention in position in readinessfor engagement with one end of the plastic I16;

I FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the assemblageillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of a concreteform with the tie breaker of the instant invention illustrated inphantom lines as initially engaged with the head of the plastic tie andan alternate tie breaking position of the tool illustrated in phantomlines; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the tie-engagingend of the tie breaker.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates a concrete fomi including opposite side plywoodwalls 12 and 14 held in position by means of a plastic form tie l6 and apair of coacting plastic form brackets 18 and 20. The form 10 isillustrated with a body 22 of cured concrete therein.

From FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings it may be seen that the brackets 18include conventional wedge surfaces 23 whereby the wedges 23 may behammered downwardly into position on the tie 16 so as to clamp theopposite sides 12 and 14 of the form 10 together. Each tie 16 extendsthrough the form 10 and has its opposite end heads 24 engaged againstthe remote-surfaces 26 of the brackets 18. In this manner, the ties 16may be placed under tension in order to retain the opposite sides 12 and14 of the form 10 against spreading.

The brackets 18 include slots 28 in which the corresponding ends of theties 16 are received and by which the brackets 18 are engaged with theties 16. As hereinbefore set forth, the ties 16 and brackets 18 areconstructed of plastic and the foregoing description of the fonn 10,ties 16 and brackets 18 may be considered as conventional.

The tie breaker of the instant invention is referred to in general bythe reference numeral and comprises an elongated tubular lever 42externally threaded as at 44 on one end. An internally threadedreinforcing sleeve 46 is threaded on the externally threaded end of thetubular lever 42 and an elongated rod 48 is secured along one side ofthe lever 42 and the corresponding side of the sleeve 46 by welding 50.The rod 48 includes an extended end portion 52 thereof which projectsendwise outwardly of the externally threaded end of the lever 42 andterminates in a smoothly inwardly curving laterally directed terminalend portion 54. The end face 56 of the terminal end portion 54 generallyparallels the longitudinal centerline of the adjacent end of the bore 58formed through the tubular lever 42 and which defines an endwiseoutwardly opening recess at the end of the lever 42 which carries therod 48. The recess or bore end is of a diameter to loosely but snuglyreceive the head 24 of the tie 16 therein in the manner illustrated inFIG. 3 of the drawings with the end face 56 of the terminal end portion54 of the rod 48 abutted against the shank portion of the tie 16 at theouter face 60 of the side 14 of the form 10. With the tie breaker 40engaged with the head 24 and shank of the tie 16 the free end of thelever 42 remote from the sleeve 46 may be urged downwardly toward thephantom line position of the lever 42 illustrated in FIG. 3 of thedrawings in order to break the head 24 and adjacent shank end from thetie 16 as at 62 in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Thus it may be seen that thehead 24 and adjacent shank portion of the tie 16 may be cleanly brokenfrom the remainder of the tie 16 at the outer face 60 of the side 14 ofthe form 10 so as to enable free removal of the associated bracket 18and subsequent removal of the side 14 of the form 10.

Of course, inasmuch as the head 24 is loosely but snugly received withinthe recess 58, the tie breaker 40 may be readily engaged with the head24 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings and the head 24and adjacent shank portion of the tie 16 will readily fall free of thetie breaker 40 as soon as the sleeve end of the lever 42 is inclineddownwardly after breaking the head 42 on the adjacent end of the shankof the tie 16 from the remainder of the tie 16.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1 A form tie rod breaker for breaking off the headed ends of form ties,said breaker including an elongated lever, means at one end of saidlever defining an endwise outwardly opening recess adapted to receivethe headed end of a tie rod therein, said one end of said lever furtherincluding a rigid endwise outwardly projecting extension supported atone side thereof and including an outward end terminating in an inwardlydirected lateral end portion whose end face opposes and is spaced atleast slightly outwardly of the center axis of said recess.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lever comprises an elongatedcylindrical member having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough, theend of said bore at said one end of said lever defining said recess.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said one end of said lever has areinforcing sleeve secured thereover.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said extension is rigidly securedto said cylindrical member and said reinforcing sleeve.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outward end curves smoothlyinwardly toward and merges into said lateral end portion. I

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said lever comprises an elongatedcylindrical member having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough, theend of said bore at said one end of said lever defining said recess.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said one end of said lever has areinforcing sleeve secured thereover.

1. A form tie rod breaker for breaking off the headed ends of form ties, said breaker including an elongated lever, means at one end of said lever defining an endwise outwardly opening recess adapted to receive the headed end of a tie rod therein, said one end of said lever further including a rigid endwise outwardly projecting extension supported at one side thereof and including an outward end terminating in an inwardly directed lateral end portion whose end face opposes and is spaced at least slightly outwardly of the center axis of said recess.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said lever comprises an elongated cylindrical member having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough, the end of said bore at said one end of said lever defining said recess.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said one end of said lever has a reinforcing sleeve secured thereover.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said extension is rigidly secured to said cylindrical member and said reinforcing sleeve.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outward end curves smoothly inwardly toward and merges into said lateral end portion.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said lever comprises an elongated cylindrical member having a longitudinal bore formed therethrough, the end of said bore at said one end of said lever defining said recess.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said one end of said lever has a reinforcing sleeve secured thereover. 